July 2026

Country Music

FOR DECADES, MICKEY JENKINS LIVED WITH TWO ENTIRELY DIFFERENT MEN—THE CONWAY TWITTY ILLUSION WHO BELONGED TO MILLIONS OF WOMEN, AND HAROLD LLOYD JENKINS, THE EXHAUSTED HUSBAND WHO ONLY BELONGED TO HER. To the world, he was the “High Priest of Country Music,” a smoldering symbol of romance who made packed arenas feel intimately private with the opening notes of “Hello Darlin’.” But Mickey understood the strict boundaries of that illusion. She knew that Conway Twitty was just a character stitched together from two random towns on a map—Conway, Arkansas, and Twitty, Texas. When the tour bus finally pulled into their driveway and the heavy, sequined jackets were hung away, the superstar disappeared. The man who walked into their kitchen wasn’t the legendary baritone whispering “Slow Hand” to screaming crowds. It was Harold Jenkins, a quiet, grounded man seeking immediate refuge from the blinding spotlight he had built for himself. Maintaining the ultimate country romance persona was a crushing, silent weight. Harold worked relentlessly to keep Conway alive for the fans, pouring his energy into the myth night after night. Mickey became his anchor, standing guard over their private life so her husband wouldn’t lose his true identity inside the massive shadow of his own stage name. The 55 No. 1 records he left behind continue to define an entire era of country music. Yet, how Mickey quietly protected Harold’s fragile peace—and the specific daily sacrifices required to keep their marriage intact behind the velvet curtains—remains a much deeper chapter of the legend.

Introduction MILLIONS OF WOMEN BELIEVED THEY KNEW THE HIGH PRIEST OF COUNTRY MUSIC—BUT ONLY ONE...

Oldies Musics

Pasta e fagioli, which goes by the amusing nickname pasta fazool in Italian American slang, is one of the most internationally famous dishes in the entire Italian repertoire. Pasta fazool is a traditional Italian soup made with beans and pasta. It originated as a peasant dish, because it’s made with inexpensive ingredients. This dish happened to be the favorite dish of iconic Italian American crooner Dean Martin. He not only sang about it in his song “That’s Amore,” but he talked about how much he loved his mother’s pasta fazool, numerous times in interviews. His daughter, Deana Martin, has also spoken about how much her dad loved pasta fazool and that it was by far his favorite dish.

Introduction **Pasta e Fagioli**, affectionately known as **pasta fazool** in Italian American slang, is one...

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